Analysis of a large single institution cohort of related donors fails to detect a relation between SDF1/CXCR4 or VCAM/VLA4 genetic polymorphisms and the level of hematopoietic progenitor cell mobilization in response to G-CSF.

We studied a cohort of 367 healthy related donors who volunteered to donate their hematopoietic stem cells for allogeneic transplantation. All donors were homogeneously cared for at a single institution, and received rhG-CSF as a mobilization treatment prior to undergoing apheresis. Peripheral blood CD34+ cell counts were used as the main surrogate marker for rhG-CSF induced mobilization. We searched whether inter-individual variations in known genetic polymorphisms located in genes whose products are functionally important for mobilization, could affect the extent of CD34+ mobilization, either individually or in combination. We found little or no influence of individual SNPs or haplotypes for the SDF1, CXCR4, VCAM and VLA4 genes, whether using CD34+ cell counts as a continuous or a categorical variable. Simple clinical characteristics describing donors such as body mass index, age and possibly sex are more potent predictors of stem cell mobilization. The size of our cohort remains relatively small for genetic analyses, however compares favorably with cohorts analyzed in previously published reports suggesting associations of genetic traits to response to rhG-CSF; notwithstanding this limitation, our data do not support the use of genetic analyses when the choice exists of several potential donors for a given patient.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Both Dr Sylvain Garciaz and myself Christian Chabannon received funding from SANOFI S.A. as speakers during industry-sponsored symposium. I also benefited of an invitation – including financial support for traveling – to a scientific meeting as a delegate. In addition, SANOFI S.A. funded another and different clinical project on autologous stem cell mobilization and collection that was conducted at Institut Paoli-Calmettes, the Comprehensive Cancer Center in Marseille, France. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials (as detailed online in the journal guide for authors http://journals.plos.org/plosone/s/competinginterests).